A rocker for supporting an infant or other item includes a carrier assembly and a support assembly. The carrier assembly has a support platform. The support assembly is disposed below the carrier assembly is operable to selectively impart motion to the carrier assembly in a plurality of different motion patterns. The motion patterns can include one or more of translation along a first linear direction, translation along a second linear direction perpendicular to the first linear direction, yaw relative to a first axis, pitch relative to a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, roll about a third axis that is perpendicular to the first and second axes, and elevation changes relative to the support assembly.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An infant rocking system, comprising: a carrier assembly configured to support an infant thereon; a support assembly disposed below the carrier assembly and configured for placement on a planar support surface, the support assembly configured to impart motion to the carrier assembly in one or more of: rotation about a first axis perpendicular to planar support surface, translation in a fore-aft direction relative to a base of the support assembly, translation in a side-to-side direction that is perpendicular to the fore-aft direction relative to the base of the support assembly, yaw relative to the vertical axis, pitch relative to a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, roll about a third axis that is perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis, and translation in an up-down direction relative to the base of the support assembly, the support assembly comprising: a frame movably disposed on the base and operable to provide said rotation about the first axis, a plurality of motor assemblies mounted on the frame and arranged circumferentially along a perimeter of the frame, each of the motor assemblies configured to engage a different portion of the carrier assembly and being actuatable independently of each other to impart pitch, roll, and vertical motion to the carrier assembly, each of the motor assemblies comprising: an electric motor operable to rotate a rotor extending therefrom, a drive arm coupled with the rotor, and a drive shaft coupled with the drive arm, the drive shaft configured to translate up and down between the frame and the support platform, a position of the drive shaft controlled by the position of the rotor of the motor, an upper end of the drive shaft configured to engage at least a portion of the carrier assembly; and an electronic controller unit operable to control an operation of the plurality of motor assemblies to impart the pitch, roll, and vertical motion on the support platform.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a motor assembly mounted on the base and configured to operatively engage the frame and to rotate about the first axis; the motor assembly comprising a pinion that engages a rack on the frame to effect rotation; the electronic controller unit operable to control operation of the motor assembly to rotate the frame.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the base is mounted on a second platform, a motor assembly mounted on the second platform and configured to operatively engage the base platform to translate in the fore-aft direction relative to the second platform; the motor assembly comprising a pinion that engages a rack on the base to effect translation; the electronic controller unit operable to control operation of the motor assembly to translate the base in the fore-aft direction.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the second platform is mounted on a third platform, a motor assembly mounted on the third platform and configured to operatively engage the second platform to translate in the side-to-side direction relative to the third platform; the motor assembly comprising a pinion that engages a rack on the second platform to effect translation; the electronic controller unit operable to control operation of the motor assembly to translate the base in the side-to-side direction.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic controller unit comprises: a circuitry for controlling motion of the carrier assembly, the control circuit comprising a user interface for inputting a motion pattern; the circuitry configured to control the operation of the plurality of motors assemblies based on the motion pattern input at the user interface to impart said motion pattern on the carrier support.
6. The system of claim 5 , further comprising: one or more sensors configured to communicate with the circuitry, the one or more sensors configured to sense one or more of 1) a sound, 3) a movement of the carrier assembly, 3) a heart rate of an infant on the carrier support, and 4) a respiration pattern of the infant; the circuitry configured to operate the plurality of motors based as least in part on said signals.
7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the circuitry includes a transceiver configured to communicate with a remote electronic device; the transceiver configured to perform at least one of 1) transmit sensed information to the remote electronic device and 2) receive instructions from the remote electronic device.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the circuitry wirelessly receives instructions corresponding to the motion pattern from a user via the remote electronic device.
9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the circuitry is configured to generate an alert signal based on the signal from the sensor, the circuitry configured to wirelessly communicate the alert signal with a transceiver to a remote electronic device, the remote electronic device configured to produce an alarm based on the alert signal.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the alarm includes at least one of an audible alarm, a visual alarm and a tactile alarm.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the remote electronic device is a wristband configured to be worn by a user, the wristband having a receiver configured to receive the alert signal from the transceiver.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the carrier assembly further comprises a carrier tray with a proximal curved wall to keep the infant from sliding distally on the carrier assembly.
13. In combination, an incubator for use in a hospital incorporating the infant rocking system of claim 1 .
14. A rocker for a hospital incubator, comprising: a carrier assembly configured to receive an infant thereon; a support assembly disposed below the carrier assembly and configured to impart motion to the carrier assembly in one or more of 1) yaw about a vertical axis, 2) pitch about a second axis that is perpendicular to the vertical axis, 3) roll about a third axis that is perpendicular to the vertical and second axes, and 4) elevation changes relative to the support assembly; the support assembly comprising: a base platform; a frame movably disposed on the base platform and operable to provide yaw about the vertical axis; a plurality of motor assemblies mounted on the frame, each of the motor assemblies configured to engage at least a portion of the carrier assembly and being actuatable independently of each other; and an electronic controller unit operable to control an operation of the plurality of motor assemblies to impart one or more of 1) pitch, 2) roll, and 3) elevation changes on the carrier assembly.
15. The rocker of claim 14 , further comprising: a rotation motor assembly mounted on one of the base platform and the frame, the rotation motor assembly operatively engaged with the other one of the base platform and the frame; the electronic controller unit operable to control an operation of the rotation motor assembly to impart rotation on the frame and the carrier assembly.
16. The rocker of claim 14 , wherein the electronic controller unit further comprises: a transceiver for communicating with a wireless user interface for inputting a motion pattern; the wireless user interface configured to send a signal corresponding to a motion pattern to the transceiver to impart the motion pattern on the support platform.
17. The rocker of claim 16 , further comprising one or more sensors; the one or more sensors configured to detect and to send a signal to the electronic controller unit; the electronic controller unit configured to send a signal to a wireless user interface based on the signal from the sensor.
18. The rocker of claim 17 , wherein the wireless user interface is configured to generate an alarm based on the signal from the electronic controller unit, the alarm including one or more of an audible alarm, a visual alarm and a tactile alarm.
19. The rocker of claim 18 , wherein the wireless user interface is a wristband comprising a vibrating alarm.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
July 2, 2020
November 23, 2021
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